Colf glove



June 27, 1933. H, o, PQTTER A 1,915,617

GOLF GLOVE Filed Jan. 12, 1931 INVENIDR- Patented June 27, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARLEY O. POTTER, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS GOLF GLOVE Application led January 12, 1931. Serial No. 508,039.

playing golf.

Another object lies in the provision of a golf glove adapted to protect the hands of a player, said glove being fashioned in such manner as not only to permit playing of the game in an unrestricted manner, but also 'because of its form, to assist the player in so doing by insuring a proper alignment of the club held in the players grasp.

A further object lies in the provision of a glove particularly fashioned for use in playing golf, the same primarily functioning to protect the players hands from cold, while at the same time in no way restricting the proper grasp of the club and also being formed in such a manner as to assist the player by defini-ng' the proper angle of support of the club within the players grasp.

A still further object lies in the provision of a golf glove so fashioned asv to protect the wrist and back of the players hands, while at the same time offering no restriction what soever tothe proper grasp of the club in the palms of the players hands, the glove being soY constructed as to insure comfortable but fixed securement upon the hands of the.

player. Y Other objects will'appear in the following specification taken in connection with the annexed drawing, in which- Fig. l is a perspective view showing the glove with the fingers of the players hand in an extended position; and

Fig.` 2 is a perspective view showing the or the physical and health advantages gained therefrom.

The game, although normally played in seasons which negative the use of any protecting means for the hands, nevertheless also and in an increasing manner has found favor even during climatic conditions when the player, both from choice and from necessity, requires a certain amount of protection for his hands.

Obviously, a game requiring such aneX- tremely line sense of timing and such a. great amount of co-ordination, negatives the use of any covering for the hand which would interfere in any way with the movement of the players fingers or palm. In other words, it is admitted that the game, to be played properly, must permit a grasp of the club with the players open palms and with no possible restriction to the movement of the im fingers. It is admitted that under certain circumstances, especially during the play by novices, that gloves are sometimes worn for the prevention of blisters, callouses and the like, but in the present instance the glove later to be described is designed primarily as a protection from climatic conditions and also, as will be later brought out, as a guide to the player respecting the proper alignment of the S0 club grip within the players grasp.

It will further be noted, when the glove has been described in detail, that although same is fitted in a comfortable and secure manner upon theplayers hand, nevertheless same is so arranged as to prevent any disadvantageous contact of the glove protecting surface during the players grasp of the club grip.

Now, referring specifically to the drawing, there is displayed in the various views, which include perspective showings, applicants golf glove. This glove may be constructed either of a soft flexible leather or synthetic composition as well as of knitted wool. The glove is designed primarily, of course, to protect the wrist and back of the play-ers hand, without interfering, as previously stated, with proper play, in that the palm is left open, and the ngers not only uncovered but absolutely free for movement which is necessary in the proper playing of the game.

The glove comprisesV a wrist portion 10, adapted as shown to entirely surround the wrist in a protective and close-fitting manner.

The back of the glove is described at 11 and it is also apparent that the same covers the entire exposed surface of that portion of the players hand in a close-litting and comfort-V able manner. y

The' manner of securing the glove to the fingers is shown to be by a plurality of extremely narrow attachment strips shown at 1Q, which are, as is readily apparent, merely securing loopswthrough which the players lingers project. 1t will also be noted that these loops secure the glove on the line upon which the fingers are bent or crooked with respect to the palm during the natural and normal grasping of the club. As a matter of fact, these loops, although suiiicient to insure proper securing of the glove, nevertheless are vso narrow as to disappear within the crease that isvformed when the fingers are bent with respect to the palm, during the players grasp of the club grip. By arranging these loops in such manner and byforming them of a soft,fflexible material, they interfere' in n o way with'the proper grasp of the club, and as a matter of fact do not come insubstantial contactwith any portion of the club grip. f y y As stated before, the palm of the glove is left yentirely open, although there is obviously a connection between the closed wrist portion and the back and protecting portion of the glove. The wrist portion is connected to the back in one inst-ance rupon one side; on a line 13, which angle of connectionis rather immaterial and is important only in that no portion of the glove comes in contact with the club grip when held in playing position.

, However, the manner of secuiingtlie glove to the thumb portion is not onlyimportant but novel. It will be noted in the drawing that the glove comprises a covering for a portion of the thumb surface and particularly the upper side of the thumb, this in order to insure not only protection for `the back of the hand but also the thumb portion which comprises a substantial part of the hand. The glove covering actually surrounds the base of the thumb in the manner shown at 14 in the drawing. However, attention is called to the angle assumedby the glove with respect to the palm, not only in the connection of the wrist portion with the back kof the hand atn this point but also with respect to the material that lies upon the inner side of the thumb.

The connecting line which is described at 15 between the wrist and back of the hand upon the thumb side of the glove is not only substantially straight, but angles laterallyin such manner that but a very small amount of glove material liesbetween the palm of the hand and the thumb. As a matter of fact,

this material is suliicient merely to insure comfortable securing of the glove upon the hand, although it accomplishes Vstill another result in that it denes the proper angle, or it may be said alignment, of the club grip in the palm of the players hand. In other words, the line 15 has importance from all be grasped in an unnatural and improper manner, it is quite possible that the glove covering adjacent the line 15 would interfere with the proper play, inasmuch as said portion would become wedged between the palm of the hand and the glove.

t may be definitely stated that the glove is 'so designed as to practically force the player to a proper holding ofthe club grip.

It will be noted from the drawing that when the player, wearing a pair of the gloves herein described, grasps the clubv grip, the angle assumed by the glove lines 15 will be parallel to the line of the club grip and thus the player may be instructed in the proper grasp of the club, either by actual placement of the club grip in such parallel relationship with the line 15 when grasping the club, or by necessity when lfinding a portion of the glove preventing unrestricted clasp or grasping of the club in the preliminary club movements prior tothe actual swing.

Applicant realizes that protective means have been affordedfor the hands of persons in many instances and for various purposes. However, the present glove, although designed obviously as a protecting meanspn'evertheless in its make-up includes such structural formations as to render its construction VeX- tremely technical, looking towards the production of a protective means that does not interfere in any way with the players game, either by mentally or physically distracting him, because of a restriction of his otherwise normal physical grasp of the club grip.` It is believed that applicants glove, because of its great regard for structural detail, has advantages that accrue to no other character of covering that has heretofore been developed as a protective means for golfers hands, and this especially in view of the particular fashioning of the glove at points adjacent to and surrounding the palm, including the narrow loops which, as previously described, substantially disappear in the crease formed adjacent .thereto when the club is grasped.

Clt

What I claim is:

1. A golf glove comprising a portion adapted to cover the back of the hand and terminating at the base of the fingers, means for securing said back portion to the fingers, a wrist encircling portion secured to the back portion, and a portion secured to said Wrist portion on the palm side thereof and covering the base of the thumb, the upper edge of said last named portion extending from the butt of the hand on the side opposite the thumb to the space between thethumb and first finger, the remainder of the palm above said edge being uncovered, said edge serving to indicate the proper angle at which a golf club should be held.

2. A golf glove comprising a portion adapted to cover the back of the hand and terminating at the base of the lingers, means for securing said back portion to the fingers, a Wrist encircling portion secured to the back portion, and a portion secured to said Wrist portion on the palm side thereof and covering the base of the thumb, the upper edge of y said last named portion extending from the butt of the hand on the side opposite the thumb to the space between the thumb and first finger, the remainder of the palm above said edge being uncovered, said edge serving HARLEY O. POTTER. 

